Bulk material unloader



June 28, 1960 c. H. GLASER BULK MATERIAL UNLOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mw 5mm 1: :6

aglfandd fzsex Mam.

Filed April 25, 1958 f rl w June 28, 1960 Filed April 25, 1958 C. H. GLASER BULK MATERIAL UNLOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @WW,JW.

June 28, 1960 c. H. GLASER 2,942,714

BULK MATERIAL UNLOADER Filed April 25, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet '3 cars.

United States Fatent BULK MATERIAL "UNLOADER Cleland H. Glaser, Memphis, Tenn., assignor to Allied Mills, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Indiana Filed Apr. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 730,952

9 Claims. (Cl..198- ,5)

This invention relates to an unloader vfor handling grain, dry chemicals, and other .bulk materials. It is .especially directed to an unloader for unloading bulk vmaterials from conventional box cars having side door openings.

Although shipments of bulk materials such as cement, dry chemicals, grain, and other materials are made in bags containing these materials, large processing facilities in order to reduce the cost of bagged shipments require that the bulk material be shipped in unba gged formin various types of transportation vehicles. The unloading of these bulk materials presentsa;pr0blem,in;material handling, especially in connection with the unloading of railroad cars of the type conventionally known .as fbox cars. Because the side opening doorsprovide-onlya relatively limited access to the interior of the .car, there are limitations on the types of material handlingdevices that can be used for unloading these railroad-cars. -The hand shoveling of such bulk materials has obvious "disadvantages which gave rise to the development ofpower shovels which operate in the channel of conventional drag lines. These power shovels generally are operated by means of cables which are connected to a primemover through various sheave arrangements. This, of'course, requires that the railroad car, upon arrival at the unloading station, be adapted for use with suchiunloading devices.

Screw-type conveyors have also found application in this service. Because of the weight and size of prior art installation, the amount of labor and equipment required to manipulate and position the conveyors :has mllitated against their extensive use for this purpose.

Because railroad car demurrage is a serious consideration in handling costs, it is desirable that the carsbe unloaded as rapidly as possible in order to avoid the accumulation of unnecessary demurrage costs.

According to this invention there'is provideda .grain transportation vehicle, screw-type conveyor unloader which can be readily positioned within the confinesof the grain holds with a minimum'of labor, avoids the necessityof rigging the'car for use with cable operated power shovels and which permits-a substantial reduction in the unloading time required.

Figure 1 illustrates aside elevation'view'of one embodiment of the unloader employed in unloading box The boom member of the unloader is shown in'an elevated position'by meansof dotted lines;

'Figure 2 is a topplan view of the boommember "of the unloader illustrating'by means of "dotted lines the lateral positioning ofthe pivotal'ly mounted,'end' section of the boom member;

'Figure 3 is an end view of thepivota'lly mounted end section of the boom member showing the relative positioning of the conveyor elements;

Figure 4 is a plan view ofthe' lower rail element-upon which the unloader carriage shown in Figure l-rides showing the relation of the unloader track to the adja- 2,942,714 Patented June 28, 1960 e KB cent railroad tracks and box car, of which a fragmentary view 'is shown, when the box car is positioned for unloading;

Figure ,5 illustrates the manual control employed for laterally positioning the pivotally mounted, end section of the boom member; and

Figure 6 is a side elevation View illustrating the inono ,rail mounting of the nnloader carriage on the track systern.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention-shown in the drawings, it willbe seen that the unloader of this invention comprisescarriage member 10 having mounted thereon wheels 11 and .12 which engage track 13. As seen in Figure 4, the track has a straight portion 14 and an angular portion 15. In unloading conventional box cars where the carriage trackparallels the railroad track, it is important that theangle at which the angular portion joins the straight portion be such that boom member 16 can ,readily .be manipulated through the open door of boxcar 17, which has its doorway positioned adjacent -the,ter-minal endoftrack 13. Boom member16 is pivotally ,attaehedto carriage 10 on a horizontal axis by means of axleels. Pivoted in thismanner, boommember 16ean'be-raised and lowered by means of conventional tackle arrangement 19, comprising sheaves 20 and 21 and gable llzwhichds anchoredzat oneend to upright mem- ;ber 2 3;mounted on carriage '10. Ihe other end of cable ;2;2 is aifixed.to a-suitable-winch 24 whichsupplies the necessa y newer :fou i s m membe 16 B member 16 consists of two sections; the-hoist section isfindpivotallymountedend section 2 6. The hoist section '25 is adapted for raising and lowering boom memb er 1.6 ,by means of tackle system 19-and axlelsqwhichis 'mounted on the frame :of carriage 10. End section;.26 :lS pivotallymounted by; meansofyertical axle -2 7' to hoist section 25 of;the boom memberto permitthe-lateral-positioningof end section 526,. This lateralpositioning of :the boom-member rlS effected by drive mechanism 28 which in;the illustrative embodimentof-thisinvention shownin the drawings is-manually controlled. This drive :mechanism consists of wormgear :29 which is integrally connected to .axle 27. .Axle 27 is inturn fastened to vpivotally mounted, end .section 26 ofboom member :16 so thatthe-rotation-of verticalaxle27 causes the lateral movement of end section '26. Enmeshing with Worm gear 29 is worm 30 which isconnected'by means of uni- -versall-joints'31and132 and drive shaft 33 to drive 'wheel 34. Drive wheel 34 is journaledin bearings 35 and 36. Rotation of drive wheel 34 produces the side to side action of end section 26 of boom member 16. "In order to permit the raising and lowering of boom member 16, it is necessary that drive shaft 33 be fabricated from tele scoping elements 33a and 3% whereby one member can-telescope into the other in order to'permit the shortening of drive shaft 33 which is required whenvboom member 16 is raised toan elevated position. It is apparent that conventional arrangements, such as Y cooperating spline'd shafts, can-be utilized for permitting this telescoping arrangement withoutsacrificing the torsionrequirements of drive shaft 33.

' -Afiixed to the underside of boommember 16 is a-pair of screw-conveyors 4t and 41 which arejournaled in bearings 39 mounted-in'suitable' supports on the'underside -of-endsection*26 -of boom- -member'lfi. Screw con- 'veyors 40 and 41 are "connected to-a drive means 42-by meansof intermediate screw conveyor sections 43- and- 44 I and'drive shafts'45. 'Drive means 42 comprises a prime the various driven. sections are interconnected by versal joints 53 and'54.

In order to facilitate the positioning of the boom member 16 within the box car, rollers 57 are provided on each side of theboom at the terminalend. the sidewalls of the box car and permit the end of boom member 16 to slide along the box car wall. (hater 58 is provided on the end boom member 16 to retain the conveyor elements spaced from the floor of the vehicle being unloaded. 1 j

' Carriage member is driven by means of a drive rail wheel 65- which frictionally engages the upper track 66 which has the same configuration as lower track 13. In the illustrative embodiment drive rail wheel 65 is rotated by an electric motor 67 which is connected to drive rail wheel65 by a suitable chain drive consisting of a drive sprocket 68,ajdriven sprocket 69, and chain 70. The electric motor. iscontrolled by a switch positioned on upright member 23, convenient t'o the operated-along with switch. means for controlling motor'46. To provide stability to the carriage member thereis provided on i upright member 23 of carriagelt)v bearing .wheels' 71 ,which engage the upper track member 66. I

Rollers 57 engage r I V 4 V I V V rigidity to insure the alignment of the screw conveyors employed without warping or distortion. Although a box girder arrangement is preferred, it is obvious that any other type of cantilevered construction can be employed. The pivoting of the end member can also be eifected by other equivalent means to the worm and pinion gear arrangement shown in the illustrative embodiment. Although a manual control'and pivotally mounted end section 26 of boom member 16 is suitable, it may be preferred to employ anelectric motor or other similar drive means for providing the non-manual pivoting of this member. To permit suitable articulation of the 'hoist andcnd portions ofthe boom member, the end member 16 can be carriedout by a geared movement suitably powered which would eliminate the cable arrangemen-t utilized in the illustrative embodiment.

'lower track; members.

7 Although a monorail system is shown,it is possible to employ "a two track arrangement on both the upper and V e 'In installing the track section, the top of the lower track is installed at the same elevation as the floor of-the boxcar whichis to be unloaded.

Also providedr on carriage 10 aredauxiliary d'evices "such as brake 75 which through a suitable linkage 76 positionsbrake shoe 77 infrictional' engagement with lowerfn'ack 13. 7 Also anidler trolley 80 is provided in order to "increase stability of the carriage member 10 while operating on the track system consisting of upper gn'ack 66 and'lower track 13.. e a

' a {In the operation of this invention as a box car unloader the track system consisting of tracks 13 and 66 with the door of the box car adjacent the terminal end of the angular section of the track system. .With the operator in position on carriage 10 the entire apparatus 'is maneuvered into position within the box car by suitably manipulating the pivotally mounted end section 26 of boom 16 as well as elevating the entire boom member. In this the box car is positioned adjacent the angular section of The angle at which the angular section 15 of thetrack system is positioned-is important and must be at such an anglejso astopermit the unloader to be readily manipulated into' thei box car without undue maneuvering of th'e carria'ge and boommembers of the unloader.

A rail system of this type and cooperating carriage are employed when there is only relatively small amounts of clearance between the sidewalls of the vehicle being unloaded and adjacent structures. If a wide unloading dock is available, it is possible .to mount the boom member of the unloader 'on a trackless carriage having an elevating mechanism such as a conventional lift truc and provide boom controls which could be conveniently operated by the driver of the carriage. If this expedient is employed, suitable power take-offs operated by the prime mover of the trackless carriage for manipulating the boom manner the'boom member can be positioned in either 1 the far corner of the car closest to or farthest from the side from which the car is being unloaded. With the boom in place the'screw conveyors are positioned atop the pile of bulk materialto be unloaded and the screw conveyors 40, 41, 743, and 44 are caused to rotate to effect the unloading of the bulk material; i The screw conveyors which" are used haveopposed pitches; In the illustrative embodiment a right hand pitched screw conveyor is provided on the right hand side of the boom facing theoperator and a left hand pitched screw conveyor is provided on the left hand side of the with the track' configuration-i permits the'unloader'to be other'arrangements of conveyors containing two or more screw conveyors can be utilized. 'It is necessary, however, to employ the conveyors such that no undue suesses are "appliedto the boom member while the screw conveyors deftly maneuvered in order to substantially completely unloadone half of the'box car without requiring the complete repositioning of the unloader. The use of a second unloader which would operate from the opposite directionwould effect the unloading of the other half of the box car.

Itis apparent from the illustrative embodiment that only the mechanical elements of the unloader are pic toriallyshown. equipment such asrelectrical;

switches and electrical conductor leads have been omitted are engaged in the unloading operation. Accordingly, it is necessary to use a right hand and left hand screw con veyor. when operating in a pair. In the event that other screwcoriveyor arrangements are employed using a pluv rail spaced 12' apart; The rails consisted of 4" x 8" standard I. beam structural shapes, the total length of track being 3 3 feet, with the angular section being about 18 feet long and joined to the straight section at an angle of about 31?. The straight section of track was positioned parallel with;the railroad tracks'about 12 feet from'the center line of the railroad track. A box girder type boom member 23' 6" was employed. Theboom'memberconsisted of .a hoist section 7' long and a pivotally mounted end section 16' 6" long. Installed underneath the piv- 7 otally mountedrend section of the boomirnember were two 9f screw conveyors, oneright handed and the other left handed, with their respective faxes being positioned i about 9" apart. These were connected to the drive means by two intermediate sections of 9. screw conveyors and suitabledrive shafts which were interconnected byuniversaljoints." On the hoist section of the boo'm'afi HR, 1800 rpm. electric motor was mounted and coupled to a speed reducer having an output speed of 230 r.p.m. The speed reducer was connected by a chain drive to a gear box, having two output shafts, one shaft turning to the right and the other shaft turning to the left. A gear box was provided which gave an output shaft speed of about 300 r.p.m. The carriage was driven by a /3 HP. electric motor which was connected to a drive wheel such that the carriage could be driven at the rate of about feet per minute. In order to raise and lower the boom member a one ton electrically driven hoist was used for apply ng the necessary force to a threefold tackle arrangement. The pivotally mounted end section of the boom member was rotated by means of a 12" Worm gear which meshed with a 4 worm. The pivoting arrangement of the pivotally mounted end section of the boom member permitted this section to pivot about 32 on either side of the hoist section of the boom member.

Employing two conventional power shovels, a box car containing bulk corn weighing 112,000 pounds required 3 /3 man-hours and a box car containing 100,000 pounds of soybean meal required 5 /3 man-hours to unload. Using the hereindescrlbed unloader the former required less than one man-hour and the latter 1 /3 man-hour to complete the unloading.

Although this invention is specifically illustrated by the drawings and the foregoing example, it is to be understood that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An unloader for removing bulk material from an enclosed bin having a horizontal floor portion which comprises an automotive carriage member, a cantilevered boom member supported by said carriage member and constructed to rest on said floor, said boom member comprising a hoist portion mounted on a horizontal axis on said carriage member a terminal end portion pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on said hoist portion whereby said end portion can be laterally positioned, means on said carriage member cooperating with said hoist portion for raising and lowering said boom member, means controllable from said carriage member for laterally positioning said end portion, at least a pair of bulk carrier, screw conveyor means mounted on the underside of said boom member coextensive with at least said end portion, means for driving said conveying means, said carriage member and said boom member being adapted to cooperate to permit the introduction and manipulation of said boom member into the confines of an enclosed bin.

2. An unloader for removing bulk material from an enclosed rectangular bin having a side opening and a horizontal floor portion which comprises a track system having a configuration comprising a straight portion and an angular portion, an automotive carriage member, said carriage member being adapted to move along said track, a cantilevered boom member constructed to rest on said floor and comprising a hoist portion mounted on a horizontal axis on said carriage member, and a terminal end portion pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on said hoist portion whereby said end portion can be latera ly positioned, means on said carriage member cooperating with said hoist section for raising and lowering said hoist portion, means controllable from said carriage member for laterally positioning said end portion, at least a pair of bulk carrier, screw conveyor means mounted on the underside of said boom member coextensive with at least said end portion, means for driving said conveyor means, said track configuration and said boom member being adapted to cooperate to permit the introduction and manipulation of said boom member into the confines of the enclosed bin through the said side opening.

3. An unloader for removing bulk material from an enclosed rectangular bin having a side opening and a horizontal floor portion which comprises a track system having a configuration having a straight portion and an angular portion, the straight portion of said track being parallel with the longitudinal axis of said bin, an automotive carriage member, said carriage member being adapted to move along said track, a cantilevered boom member constructed to rest on said floor comprising a hoist portion mounted on a horizontal axis on said carriage member and a terminal end portion pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on said hoist portion whereby said end portion can be laterally positioned, means on said carriage member cooperating with said hoist section for raising and lowering said hoist portion, means controllable from said carriage member for laterally positioning said end portion, at least a pair of bulk carrier, screw conveyor means mounted on the underside of said boom member coextensive with at least said end portion, means for driving said conveyor means, said track configuration and said boom member being adapted to cooperate to permit the introduction and manipulation of said boom member into the confines of the enclosed bin through the said side openin".

4. An unloader for removing bulk material from an enclosed rectangular bin having a side opening and a horizontal floor portion which comprises mono rail track system having a configuration having a straight portion and an angular portion, the straight portion of said track being parallel with the longitudinal axis of said bin, an automotive carriage, said carriage member being adapted to move along said track, a cantilevered boom member constructed to rest on said floor comprising a hoist portion mounted on a horizontal axis on said carriage memher and a terminal end portion pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on said hoist portion wherebysaid end portion can be laterally positioned, means on said carriage cooperating with said hoist section for raising and lowering said hoist portion, means controllable from said carria e member for laterally positioning said end portion, at least a pair of bulk carrier, screw conveyor means mounted on the underside of said boom member coextensive with at least said end portion, and means for driving said conveyor means, said track configuration and said boom member being adapted to cooperate to permit the introduction and manipulation of said boom member into the confines of the enclosed bin through the said side opening.

5. An unloader for removing bulk material from an enclosed rectangular bin having a side opening and a horizontal floor portion which comprises a track system having a configuration comprising a straight portion and an angular portion, an automotive carriage member, said carriage member being adapted to move along said track, a cantilevered boom member constructed to rest on said floor comprising a hoist portion mounted on a horizon tal axis on said carriage member and a terminal end portion pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on said hoist portion whereby said end portion can be laterally positioned, said end portion being 2-3 times as long as said hoist portion, means on said carriage member cooperating with said hoist section for raising and lowering said hoist portion, means controllable from said carriage member for laterally positioning said end portion, at least a pair of bulk carrier, screw conveyor means mounted on the underside of said boom member coextensive with at least said end portion, and means for driving said conveyor means, said track configuration and said boom member being adapted to cooperate to permit the introduction and manipulation of said boom member into the confines of the enclosed bin through the said side opening.

6. An unloader for removing bulk material from an enclosed rectangular bin having a side opening and a horizontal floor portion which comprises a track system having a configuration comprising a straight portion and an angular portion, an automotive carriage member, said carriage member being adapted to move along said track, a cantilevered boom member constructed to rest on said floor comprising a hoist portion mounted on a horizontal axis on saidcarriage member and a terminal end portion'pivot'ally mounted on a vertical axis on said hoist laterally positioning said end portion comprising a worm gear integral with said vertical 'axis, a worm cooperating with'said' worm gear and a telescoping .drive shaft rotatable from said carriage member, at least a pair of bulk carrier, screw conveyor means mounted on the underside of said boom member coextensive with at least said end portion, and means for driving said conveying means, said track configuration and said boom member being adapted to cooperate to permit the introduction and manipulation of said boom member intothe confines of the enclosed bin through the said side opening. l

7. An unloader. for removing bulk material from an enclosed rectangular bin having a side opening and a horizontal floor portion which comprises a track system having a configuration comprising a straight portion and an angular'portion, an automotive carriage member have ing an upright frame element, said carriage member being member constructed to rest on said tfloor comprising a hoist portion mounted on ahorizontal axis on said car- I'Iiage member and 'a terminal end portion pivotally' fmountedon a vertic al axis on said hoist'portion whereby said fend'portion can be laterally positioned, means on :said carriage member cooperating with said hoist section for raising and loweringsaid hoist portion comprising a 'mnltifold tackle arrangement cooperating with the upright 'frame element of said carriage member and a prime mover for operating said multifoldtackle arrangement, means controllable 'from said carriage member for laterally positioning said end portion, at least alpair of bulk carrier,

, screw conveyor means mounted on the underside of said boom member coextensive with at least said endportion, and means 'for'driving said conveying means, said track configuration and said boom member being adapted to cooperate to permit the introduction and manipulation of horizontal floor portion which comprises a track system having a configuration comprising a straight portion and an'angular portion, an automotive carriage member, said carriage member being adapted to move along said track,

' 1a cantilevered boom member constructed to rest on said floor'comprising a hoist portion mounted on'a horizontal axis on ,said carriage member and a terminal end portion adapted to move along said track, a cantilevered boom pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on said hoist portion whereby said end portion can be laterally positioned, means on said carriage member cooperating with said hoistlsection for raising and lowering said hoist portion, means controllable from said carriage member for laterally positioning said end portion, a pair of bulk carrier, screw conveying means mounted on axes spaced about one screwconveyormeans diameter apart on the underside of said boom member coextensive with at least said end portion, means ,for drivingtsaid conveying means, said track configuration and said boom member being adapted to cooperate to .permit the introduction and manipulation of said boom member'into the confines of the enclosed bin through the said side opening.

. 9. An unloader for removing bulk material from an enclosed rectangular bin having a side opening and a horizontal floor portion which comprises a-track system having a configuration having a straight portion and an angular portion, the straight portion of said track being parallel with the longitudinal axis of said bin, an automotive carriage member having an upright frame element, said carriage member being adapted to move along said track, a cantilevered boom member constructed to rest on said floor comprising a hoist portion mounted onv a horizontal axis on said carriage member and a terminal end portion pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on said hoistportion whereby 'said end portion can be laterally positioned, said end portion being 2-3 times as long as opening.

said'hoist portion, means on said carriage member cooperating said hoist section for raising and'lowering said hoist portion, comprising a multifold tackle arrangement cooperating with the upright frame element of said carriage member and a prime mover ior operating said multifold tackle arrangement, means controllable from said carriage member for laterally positioning said end portion comprising a worm 'geartintegral with said vertical axis, a worm cooperating with said worm gear, and

a telescoping drive shaft rotatable from said carriage References Cited inithe file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS i 2,073,793 Gyger Mar. 16, 1937 2,719,058 Van Dusen Sept. 27, 1955 2,800,991

Manierre July 30, 1957 aim-mama 

